This invention relates generally to a catch pan or catch basin for oil and other automotive fluids and more particularly to a fluid catch pan adapted for placement beneath a catwalk typically found in a subterranean bay over which is placed beneath a vehicle whose oil is to be changed.
Oil drip pans used to catch dripping oil from the location at which an oil filter is removed from a vehicle during an oil change, are known in the art. While such a catch pan can be placed on the work surface beneath an automobile vehicle during such an oil change, it has been typically more convenient to hoist such a vehicle on a pneumatic lift, in which case the oil drip pan is typically elevated to a height generally near the area of the automobile vehicle from which the oil filter has been removed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,551 issued on Jul. 17, 1990 to Visser discloses a "Vehicle Service Area Floor Mat" which is adapted for use beneath a vehicle hoist 36. The invention is provided with a recess center portion 14 as well as a textured apron area 12. A fluid receiving pan 20 is adapted to be received at an end of center portion and requires an operator to remove the pan for drainage. Among other things this does not provide any teaching for adapting an oil catch basin for use with a catwalk.
Concurrently with the growing number of business locations dedicated to offering fast oil changes has come the increasing use of subterranean bays over which the vehicle undergoing an oil change may be placed, the bays then allowing a worker to access the area under the automobile. Typically, such bays are provided with a metal catwalk upon which the worker stands, the catwalk allowing oil and other motor vehicle fluids to drain through, thus eliminating the possible formation of slippery and dangerous pools of such fluids. While the prior art oil drip pan, typically elevated to the area immediately beneath the location from which the oil filter is removed, may be used with such a catwalk, its use is not convenient. Even with use of such of an oil drain pan, nonetheless, there may be casual spillage of oil and other automobile fluids.
The clean up of such casual spillage from the area around and beneath the catwalk is cumbersome and is made more inconvenient by the typically confined space. Additionally, the increasing number of restrictions governing handling during clean up and disposition of such environmentally threatening waste required under tightening environmental legislation adds to the effort and expense of such clean up and disposition.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to minimize or eliminate the efforts and expenses associated with clean up of spills of oil and other automotive fluids during vehicle maintenance operation. It is a further objective of the present invention to facilitate or eliminate the efforts associated with clean up of oil and other automotive fluids by providing a device compatible for use with a catwalk typically used in association with a subterranean pit over which a motor vehicle undergoing maintenance operation may be placed.
It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide an oil catch basin capable of supporting a cat walk on which maintenance personnel may stand while performing maintenance operation beneath a motor vehicle.